Trash loader



Oct. 9, 1962 Filed April 18, 1960 2 sheets-sheet 1 F/g.2 /8 WH 22 2 20 En i- /4/ iii Ill m I!| |!I F hill -E/ nl IH 36 rf? 56| i mi; 50 l' l. /2 60 24 62 /2 Carl Wheat INVENTOR.

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8 0d 4, 7 5 0., 3 T A E H w c 2 6 9 1 9., .L c O TRASH LOADER Filed April 18, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Car/ W/reaf INVENTOR. BY zmdow.

#uw 15mm and United States Patent tlce 3,057,498 Patented Oct. 9, 19622 3,057,498 TRASH LOADER Carl Wheat, 1310 N. Van Buren St., Amarillo, Tex. Filed Apr. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 23,021 1 Claim. (Cl. 214-314) This invention relates generally to receptacle means and moreA particularly to a novel and improved construction facilitating the storage of trash and the loading of the trash into a truck or such.

Generally, trash is stored in conventional garbage cans and when it is desired to be loaded or dumped into a trash collection truck, it is necessary to completely lift the garbage can and overturn it to allow the trash to fall into the truck. This procedure requires the services of a reasonably strong person and prevents women and children from loading the trash. Also, the procedure is somewhat messy and requires the person to handle the trash.

In View of the above, it is the principal object of this invention to provide novel means for storing trash and for facilitating the loading or dumping of the trash into a collection truck.

It is more particularly an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved trash loader construction which minimizes the effort required to dump trash into a truck and which allows the dumping of the trash in a manner which requires considerably lesser handling of the trash by the operator.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a novel trash loader including a frame pivotable between a pair of upstanding standards. Slidably carried on the frame is a box receptacle having an open upper end with a closure member hinged to the box receptacle adjacent the upper end. Means are provided for pivoting the frame so that the box receptacle is inverted as it slides along the frame whereby the closure member opens allowing the trash to fall from the receptacle and into a truck.

These together with other objects and advantages which will lbecome subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference -being had -to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the improved trash loader construction showing the device in its normal position with the box receptacle thereof adapted to receive trash through the open upper end by pivoting the closure member about its hinged connection;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational rear View of the trash loader;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational side View `of the trash loader illustrating in dotted lines how the frame, comprising a portion of the construction, is pivoted relative to a pair of upstanding standards for allowing Ithe box receptacle slidably carried by the frame to open causing the trash therein to fall therefrom;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the closure member hinged to the box receptacle and illustrating particularly the spring means between the box receptacle collar and the transverse end frame member; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view illustrating particularly the construction of the lower portion of the receptacle, frame and lower shaft.

With continuing reference to the drawings, numeral generally represents the invention comprising the trash loader which is to be utilized yfor storing and dumping trash into a truck. The trash loader 10 initially includes a base 12 which is preferably rectangular in shape but which may be circular if desired. The base 12 should of course be formed of relatively heavy material to assure stability of the trash loader. Secured Ito the base 12 and extending upwardly therefrom is a pair of standards 14 and 16. The standards 14 and 16 are spaced and alined and positioned substantially centrally on the base 12.

A frame 18 is substantially rectangular and has a closed outer frame portion 20 including a pair of transverse and spaced end members 22 and 24. Spaced and parallel tracks 26 and 28 extend between the transverse end members 22 and 24. Spindles 30 and 32 are secured to the outer frame portion 20. The spindles 30 and 32 are disposed substantially intermediate the transverse end members 22 andl 24. Each of the spindles 30` and 32 is mounted for pivotal movement in the -standa-rds 14 and 16 respectively.

A shaft 34 is rotatably journalled in bearings 36 and 38 secured to the standards 14 and 16. The shaft 34 is spaced from the spindles 30 and 32. A first sprocket gear 40 is fixed to the shaft 34 while a second sprocket gear 42 is fixed to the spindle 30. A sprocket chain 44 drivingly connects the gears 40 and 42. A crank 46 is fixed to the shaft 34. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that by turning the crank 46, the gear 40 may be turned so as to cause the spindle 30 to pivot in the standard 14. The frame 18 is thereby caused to move from its normally vertical position to the position illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 3 wherein the frame 18 is inclined from the transverse member 22 to the transverse member 24.

A receptacle 50 is provided, said receptacle being of substantially rectangular shape. A lower pair of collars including collars 52 and 54 are secured Ito the receptacle 50 and slidably received on the tracks 26 and 28 respectively. Upper collars 56 and 58 are likewise secured to the receptacle 50 and Slidably received on the track 26 and 28. Springs 60 and 62 are mounted around the tracks 26 and 28 between the collars 52 and 54 and the transverse end member 24. Likewise, springs 64 and 66 are received on the tracks 26 and 28 between the collars 56 and 58 and the transverse end member 22. The receptacle 50 is provided with an open upper end and has a closure member 70 hinged thereto at 72 adjacent said open Iupper end.

When employing the dev-ice 10, trash may be deposited into the receptacle S0 in its normal position illustrated in FIGURE l, by merely pivoting the closure member 70 about the hinged connection 72 so as to gain access to the interior of the receptacle 50. When it is desired to dump the trash from the receptacle 50 or in effect to load the trash onto a truck, it is necessary to position a truck adjacent the trash loader 10. Then, by turning the crank 46, the frame 18 is pivoted or tilted to the dotted line position illustrated -in FIGURE 3 as shaft 34 rotates causing gear 40 to turn gear 42 to turn spindle 30 to tilt frame 18. Inasmuch as the receptacle 50 is freely slidable with respect to the frame 18, the collars secured to the receptacle slide along track-s 26 and 28 toward transverse end member 18. As the receptacle 50 assumes the inclined position illustrated in FIGURE 3, the closure member 70 of course pivots to an open position about the hinge connection 72. A-s shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4 of the drawing, the closure 70, when open, is in a position -to function as a chute from the receptacle 50. The springs prevent excessive impact of the collars with the transverse end members. As the contents of the receptacles 50 fall therefrom, they will fall into the truck which has been positioned adjacent thereto. Therefore, it Will be apparent that even a woman or child may easily cause the trash to be loaded into a truck without actually handling Athe trash.

The particular materials utilized in the construction of the invention are of course substantially a matter of choice. However, it is preferred that sheet metal be utilized to form the receptacle 50 while iron piping be employed substantially throughout the rest of the construction. It is contemplated that the frame be approximately eight feet in height and four feet in width. The dimensions of the receptacle are preferably three and one-half feet by three and one-half feet by five feet in height. If desired, the base 12 may employ rollers for facilitating the mobility thereof.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur yto those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A device for dumping trash comprising a pair of spaced upstanding standards, a frame, means centrally disposed on said frame mounting said frame `for pivotal movement between said standards, said frame including a pair of spaced parallel tracks and a pair of spaced transverse end members connecting said tracks, a boXelike receptacle, a pair of collars secured to said box-like receptacle slidable on said tracks, said means centrally disposed on said frame including a pair of oppositely extending spindles secured to said frame rotatably journaled to said standards, and means for pivoting said frame comprising a shaft spaced from said spindles and rotatably joumaled between said standards, a first gear secured to :said shaft, a second gear secured to said spindle, means operatively connecting said rst and second gears, and a crank secured to said shaft, said box-like receptacle having an open upper end, a gravity-opened closure member hinged to said box-like receptacle adjacent said open upper end thereof and constituting a chute when in open position for conveying trash from the receptacle over an end of the frame, said closure being `directly slidably supported by the tracks in chute-functioning position when the receptacle is in dumping posi tion, and coil springs slidably carried on said tracks between said collars and transverse end members.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 525,103 Heidsieck Aug. 28, 1894 1,430,655 Irrgang Oct. 3, 1922 1,481,355 Dompier Ian. 22, 1924 1,720,388 Alexander July 9, 1929 1,730,265 Bulmer Oct. l, 1929 1,779,352 Becker Oct. 21, 1930 1,906,126 Mott Apr. 25, 1933 1,961,307 Stauifer June 5, 1934 2,156,204 Stolze Apr. 25, 1939 2,872,058 Doepke et al Feb. 3, 1959 

